Fred Benedetti (l) and Erica Erenyi (r)

Monday, February 20, 2023

12 PM

Fred Benedetti began studies of classical guitar at the age of 16 and by age 26 was one of 12 guitarists worldwide to perform in one of the last masterclasses of Maestro Andres Segovia. Fred has performed in the United States, England, Germany, the Czech Republic, Canada, Taiwan and Mexico and locally with the San Diego Symphony, the San Diego Opera, the Starlight Opera, the American Ballet Company, the Old Globe Theatre, Luciano Pavarotti, and jazz artist Dave Brubeck. He is a professor emeritus of music at Grossmont College where he is the head of the guitar studies program. He has performed for dignitaries such as the King & Queen of Malaysia, Mikhail Gorbachev and Ravi Shankar.

Erica Erenyi completed a Master’s degree and Performance Residency Program in cello performance at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, as a student of Anne Martindale Williams. She received her Bachelor of Music from Biola University in La Mirada, California, as a student of Marlin Owen. More recently, she undertook a course of intensive study with Peter Thiemann in Barcelona, Spain. Erica has performed with International Opera Theater in Italy, Academia Internacional de Música de Solsona, Spain, and the Henry Mancini Institute in Los Angeles. She is active as a freelance musician in San Diego, playing in a variety of genres including theatre productions (with The Old Globe, La Jolla Playhouse, and Broadway San Diego), California Chamber Orchestra, recording projects, and with jazz pianist Danny Green.

Free concerts at noon every other Monday from fall through spring . . . no wonder the Mini-Concerts are the longest-running and one of the most popular classical music series at the library! This series was founded by Glenna Hazleton in 1970 at the Athenaeum, and has been going strong ever since. The concerts feature both local and touring musicians, prize-winning students, university music faculty members, local chamber ensembles. . . and the repertoire also includes jazz, folk and world music. There are no reservations, no tickets . . . just line up at the side door of the Athenaeum before noon. (Donations are always welcome!) Mini-Concerts take place every other Monday at noon and last about an hour.

The concerts will be in person at the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library. There are no physical tickets for these events. Doors open at 11:50 a.m. Seating is first-come; first-served. These events will be presented in compliance with State of California and County of San Diego health regulations as applicable at the time of each concert.

Masks optional. If you have a fever, cough, or flu-like symptoms, please stay home.